The Equilibrium Disruption
by blueberryymilk
Summary: A single variable is all it takes to disrupt the equilibrium that Amy Farrah Fowler built for herself.
1. Prologue

**_A/N: This story has been in my mind for a long time now. I wanted to write this after I've finished The Pacemaker Incompetency, but ideas just kept popping until it prompted me to write this chapter. As usual, I cannot assure you when the next update will be since the semester is about to start in a few days. However, I will try my best to update whenever I have spare time._**

**_I hope you'll like this short opener! Please tell me what you think about it in the reviews. _**

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**_PROLOGUE_**

* * *

_July 1996_

With his first Ph.D. in the bag, it was certain that everything is going according to plan in Sheldon Lee Cooper's life. He insisted to stay in Caltech for a few more months to accept the part-time teaching stint that was offered to him but his mother was persistent that he should go back to Texas during his vacation. With the help of his Meemaw, Sheldon eventually gave in and started preparing for his trip home.

Sheldon looked at the window as the cab pulled over in front of their house. Nothing has changed, except for the fact that his father is already gone and his mom and siblings are the only ones left in that huge house. After letting out a deep sigh, Sheldon paid the driver and refused the his offer to assist him with his belongings. His mom specifically instructed him not to bring any school-related books or materials because it would only hinder him from fully enjoying his vacation. Little did his mother know that he smuggled a few of his journals and notes so that he could discreetly continue working on his research.

As he approached their house, a familiar voice echoed upon Sheldon's ears. "Moonpie!" an old woman yelled as she grasped Sheldon's petite body in her hands. "Hello, Meemaw." Sheldon replied, reciprocating his Meemaw's warm hug.

"Mary would be thrilled to see you, Sheldon." she said with a hint of sadness in her voice. The last time Sheldon saw his mother was during his father's funeral, and it wasn't a sight that Sheldon wants to remember every time people would speak of his mother's name.

Meemaw helped Sheldon in carrying his suitcase, even though he refused. Once they were inside, the infamous smell of Mrs. Cooper's signature spaghetti sauce filled his nostrils.

"My Shelley bean, I've missed you!" Mary exclaimed as she hugged her son. "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you."

"I know, I missed you too. Where are Missy and Georgie?" he asked after his mom broke the hug.

"I asked Missy to run an errand for me so I think she'll be back in an hour or so. As for Georgie, he went to pick up his girlfriend for dinner."

Sheldon was surprised by his mother's sudden declaration. "What are you talking about?"

Mary walked back to the kitchen while Sheldon and his Meemaw were left sitting in a nearby table. "One of the reasons why I wanted you to go home is to meet Georgie's new girlfriend."

"But you know firsthand that Georgie's relationships doesn't even last for a month!"

"Well, this one's different." Meemaw tapped Sheldon's shoulder to calm him down. "Believe me, I've never seen your brother like this before, moonpie. He is in love with that girl, so much so that she was able to persuade Georgie into applying in the community college."

"I don't know. Over the years I have seen his relationships crumble before my eyes so I doubt that this one would be any different." Sheldon proclaimed confidently as he crossed his arms.

"Let's not jump into conclusions, shall we? The Lord would not be happy if he sees you talking about your brother that way." Mary intervened.

"Very well, but I refuse to accept that I'm wrong on this one because I know that I am right all the time." Sheldon popped out of his seat and grabbed the wallet inside his pocket. "Inside this wallet is the allowance I've saved during the last semester. I'd give it to you if you defeat me in a bet."

Mary and Meemaw looked at each other, surprised at Sheldon's proposed offer.

"I'll give you my allowance if Georgie's relationship with that girl you're talking about would last for more than a month. However, if they'll break up in less than a month, you will allow me to fly back to Pasadena without opposing me."

Excitement filled Meemaw's face upon hearing Sheldon's proposal. She looked intensely at Mary as she awaited her answer.

"Dear God! Don't look at me like that, mom!" Mary shrieked, annoyed with the stare that her mother was giving her. "Fine, if that's the only way to prove that you're wrong, then be it."

Meemaw rose to her chair and hugged her daughter. "Damn, Mary! I knew you had it in you to challenge Sheldon."

After their conversation, Mary told Sheldon and Meemaw to help her prepare for dinner, in which they gladly obliged. A few minutes later, Missy arrived with pints of ice cream in her hands. Just like what Mary did, Missy welcomed her twin brother in the best way she could, _by showering him with warm hugs._

It was already 6:45 and the dinner was about to start at 7. Everything else was already prepared, all they were waiting for was the arrival of Georgie and his new girlfriend.

"Hey," Sheldon kicked Missy who was seating across her. "Have you seen the girl before?"

Missy shrugged in response after kicking Sheldon in return. "No, but Georgie says that he met her in Medford. He never mentioned her name, either."

"Strange," Sheldon whispered quietly. Just as he was about to ask Missy another question, Mary screamed Sheldon and Missy's names, telling them to go to the living room to welcome their visitor.

Sheldon didn't care about what he looked or how other people perceived his looks. Even so, for some reason, he wanted to make a good impression on Georgie's girlfriend. With that in mind, he fixed his hair and bowtie before taking the place between Mary and Missy.

The door slowly opened, revealing Georgie and a bespectacled brunette. The girl's eyes were fixed on the floor, as if she was afraid to initiate eye contact with the members of Georgie's family. Upon seeing her reaction, Georgie gently squeezed her hand. Their contact somehow gave her the courage to gradually raise her head at a level wherein everyone could see her face clearly.

_"Mom, Meemaw, Sheldon, Missy,"_ Georgie gripped her hand tighter as he let out a small smile. _"I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Amy Farrah Fowler." _


	2. I: Change is Constant, Bowtie

**_A/N: Hello, everyone! I really enjoyed reading the reviews you left on my last update. For those who are asking, I can't disclose the main pairing featured in this story because I want to reveal it to my readers when the time is right. *wink*_**

**_As always, thank you for reading! Please tell me what you think about this chapter in the reviews._**

**_I: Change is Constant, Bowtie_**

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Sheldon sipped his morning tea as the cool breeze of air-filled the entire Cooper residence. It was a wonderful morning indeed since his rowdy siblings weren't there to annoy the hell out of him. Missy had to leave to attend her summer classes while Georgie was in for an interview to complete his application to community college. He smiled to himself as he turned the pages of his notes from Caltech, hoping to give his brain a small teaser while he finished his tea. At some point during the week, Mary saw the academic materials that Sheldon smuggled but she didn't give Sheldon a lengthy lecture regarding that matter. Sheldon didn't try to breach that topic to his mother, afraid that she might change her mind.

A wide grin escaped Mary's lips before she occupied the empty seat beside her son. He was so engrossed with reading that he wasn't able to detect her presence.

"Shelley, what are you working on?" she asked as her fingers hugged the warm cup of coffee in front of her.

"Variational and Parquet-diagram theory for strongly correlated normal and superfluid systems. This aims to highlight the connections between the Euler equations for the Jastrow–Feenberg wave function on the one hand side, and the ring, ladder, and self-energy diagrams of parquet-diagram theory on the other side." Sheldon explained nonchalantly, still not taking his eyes off his notebook.

"Goodness, the words I was only able to understand from that are hand, ring, and ladder."

Sheldon smirked at his mother's attempt to humor him then went back to reading again. If they were surrounded by other people, Mary was certain that they would deem him rude and unwelcoming. Unlike Meemaw, Mary understood that Sheldon's aversion to establishing relationships with others was deeply rooted in other people's bad perception about him. That's why she was so overjoyed when Sheldon introduce his friend, Tam, to the family a few years ago. A year after that, Sheldon became friends with Paige, a brilliant young girl whom he met at one of Dr. Sturgis' classes. Sheldon's friendship with them proved that he is capable of building bonds with people outside of his family. It was the thing that she kept in mind when she allowed Sheldon to fly to Germany to get his degree in Physics. Somehow, even though Sheldon already has a Ph.D., she still can't help but worry about her little boy.

Mary cleared her throat and looked at Sheldon, even though he wasn't looking at her. "Sheldon, there's something I have to ask you."

Upon hearing that, Sheldon stopped everything he was doing. "What is it, mom?" he replied as he tried sitting towards his mother's direction.

"So," Mary started. "What did you think about Amy?"

The mention of her name flooded Sheldon's mind with memories from last week. If he was to assess the dinner they had with Georgie's girlfriend (he refuses to call her by her first name, saying that if he does acknowledge her, it would mean that he's already welcoming her to the family), it wasn't as bad as he initially expected. Sure, it was a bit awkward seeing his brother being lovey-dovey with someone but the two things that kept him alive the entire night were his mother's signature spaghetti with meatballs and his Meemaw's pecan pie. He preoccupied himself with eating to distract himself from all the relationship nonsense that they were happily discussing.

"Not the type I thought Georgie would come after."

Mary nodded her head in agreement. "I've seen your brother bring cheer dancers and prom queens before but I've never imagined him being in a relationship with…."

"Someone who clearly resembles me?" Sheldon attempted to finish his mother's sentence.

Mary sighed. She wanted to oppose him but he made a fair point. At first glance, Amy Farrah Fowler was like a female version of Sheldon Cooper, just a bit friendlier than the latter.

"Well, er, you're kinda right about that." she admitted. "Look, Shelley, I know you don't like change. All your life I've watched you desperately try to bring back everything into place whenever something is not the way it used to be, or at least, the way you wanted them to be. I just want you to know that if Amy makes your brother happy, we have no choice but to accept it. That girl had helped Georgie's life get back on track, something that I've been trying to do since….your father left." Sheldon noticed her mother's voice crack.

"There, there." Sheldon tapped Mary's head softly as she fought her tears from falling. "Yeah, sure, I'll try to be happy for him."

Mary chuckled when she heard the sincerity in Sheldon's voice. "Try not to scare off Amy, alright?"

"Whatever." he replied as his mother enclosed him in a tight and warm hug.

* * *

Sheldon spent the entire morning flipping through his notes while Mary started preparing for lunch. Since Missy and Georgie were both gone, Mary called Meemaw to come and join them. She hastily accepted, saying that spending the day with Sheldon and Mary was definitely better than chugging margaritas in her couch while watching a chick-flick movie.

Before Sheldon could begin packing up his things to prepare the dining table, a sudden knock startled them.

"That must be your Meemaw. Can you get the door for me, honey?" Mary asked as she continued peeling the potatoes before her.

Sheldon nodded and walked towards the door. Much to his surprise, Meemaw's face wasn't the one that welcomed him.

"_Georgie's girlfriend,_ what are you doing here?" Sheldon glared at the brunette who was currently standing in front of him. She didn't look different from the time he first saw her—she still looked as if she was about to go on top of Mount Everest.

_Why the hell does she wear such thick clothing every single time? We're in Texas, for god's sake! _

"I'd appreciate it if you called me _Amy_, thank you very much." Amy grinned, not wanting her sass to go unnoticed by Sheldon. "To answer your question, I'm here to see Georgie. Is he here?"

"No, _Georgie's girlfriend_, he had an interview regarding his application in community college."

Mary, who was concerned why Sheldon hasn't come back yet, went to the living room to see what is taking her son so long.

"Shelley, why are you—oh, hello there, Amy." Mary gave Amy a warm smile, in which Amy reciprocated. Their casual interaction elicited a loud groan from Sheldon.

"Hello, Mrs. Cooper. I went here to see Georgie but it seems like he's not home. I'll just come back later to see if here's already here."

"Is that so? Georgie left early so I think he's already on his way home. Would you like to join us for lunch while waiting for him?" Mary asked offered. Amy glanced at Sheldon who was not amused by Mary's suggestion. If Amy wanted to get along with Georgie's family, she has no choice but to try to win Sheldon's acceptance, even though he is an absolute pain in the ass.

"I'd love that. Thank you, Mrs. Cooper."

"Amy darlin', call me Mary from now on, alright?"

Amy smiled to herself upon getting the encouragement she needed. "Thank you, _Mary_."

With the thick air gone, the three of them walked towards the dining area. Mary then attended to the potatoes she left earlier but left Sheldon a piercing glare before she left him and Amy alone.

"Doing homework this early, huh?" Amy commented as she feasted her eyes on the messy dining table.

"For your information, I'm doing my post-doctoral research on superfluids. It's not that you can understand it, by the way."

Amy shrugged at his last comment. _Dow dare he insult her intellectual prowess? _

Despite of being enraged by Sheldon's overconfidence, she tried her hardest to compose herself in a way that Sheldon wouldn't notice how angry she was. She crossed her arms as she accepted the challenge that Sheldon was posing.

"I know for a fact that superfluidity is the characteristic property of a fluid with zero viscosity which flows without the loss of kinetic energy."

Sheldon was taken aback by what the brunette just had said. Wanting to impress Sheldon more, Amy continued talking, "When stirred, a superfluid forms vortices that continue to rotate indefinitely. It occurs in two isotopes of helium, namely helium-3 and helium-4 when they are liquefied by cooling to cryogenic temperature."

Sheldon could not believe what he was hearing. _Since when did Georgie's girlfriend start lecturing him about superfluids, a topic that he has been working on for months? _

Amy smirked as she realized that she rendered Sheldon speechless. "I'm not as dumb as you think I am, Sheldon. Physics might not be my forte but I some things about it." The brunette tucked her brown locks just behind her ear and grabbed one of Sheldon's notebooks. "So, you're trying to correlate the Variational and Parquet-diagram theory with normal and superfluid systems? Interesting."

Confusion from the events earlier easily left Sheldon's system as a wave of pride hit him. "Of course, it is. I've already finished my paper based on the experiments that I've conducted before but I want to do a few more when I come back to Pasadena."

Amy looked at the table once again. "You're on vacation, Sheldon. Why not take this opportunity to relax and slow down a bit? You're just 16 and you already have a Ph.D., what else could you possibly want?"

Sheldon looked at her in disbelief. "Uh, a Nobel Prize?"

"Yeah, I totally forgot about that." Amy whispered to herself but Sheldon heard it loud and clear.

"_Georgie's girlfriend_, please know that you're just wasting your time on forcing me to do what 'normal 16-year-olds would do'. I have committed myself to the advancement of science and I will continue to do so, regardless of what you, mom, or Meemaw would say."

"What a tough cookie." Amy grunted. "And also, why do you keep referring to me as 'Georgie's girlfriend'? I have a name and it's Amy Farrah Fowler."

"I won't call you by your first name because doing so would mean that I am already acknowledging you as a part of our family." Sheldon watched as Amy's optimistic face turn sour as he explained himself. He suddenly remembered the reminder what his mother told him earlier, _don't try to scare off Amy. _

"It's not like I don't want you to be a part of our family. It's not your fault that I have a hard time embracing change. If it'll make you feel better, I would like to give you a nickname so that I won't have to refer to you as 'Georgie's girlfriend' all the time."

Amy smiled and her green eyes softened upon hearing Sheldon's stilly suggestion. She never had a nickname before so a part of her was excited to hear what nickname Sheldon is going to give her.

"After a few minutes of intrapersonal deliberation, I have finally found a perfect nickname for you. From now on I will be calling you Princess Corncob and you have no right to object." Sheldon proclaimed with all seriousness, making Amy tear up in laughter.

"Seriously, Princess Corncob? How were you able to come up with that nickname?" a curious Amy inquired.

"That's simple. The title 'Princess' is derived from the nickname that Georgie secretly has for you. I chose 'Corncob' because your choice of clothing makes you look like a corn enclosed in numerous layers of husk." Sheldon pointed his index finger at her and looked at her from head to toe. Amy felt like he was silently judging her appearance but did not comment any further on Sheldon's choice of nickname, afraid that he'll take it back.

"Wow. Does that mean that we're friends now, Bowtie?" Sheldon flinched at the name Amy had given him. "Since you gave me a nickname, I thought that it would be fun if I'll give you one as well."

Amy and Sheldon teased each other mercilessly until a tall figure enclosed Amy into a back hug.

"Seems like the two of you are getting along, huh?" Georgie placed a soft kiss on Amy's forehead, sending shivers down her spine. Sheldon watched her cheeks turn redder than the strawberries they have on the fridge.

In the few minutes that the three of them were together that day, Sheldon could easily tell how smitten his brother was with Amy, something that he wasn't able to notice during the dinner. Amy had changed Georgie so much to the point that even Sheldon, his own brother, is having a hard time recognizing him.

He isn't the douchebag Georgie anymore. He is now a knight who is willing to embrace change to be worthy of the princess' love.


End file.
